11 Yard Sale Tips That Will Guarantee Sales

We recently had a yard sale and came away from the weekend with some great tips after feedback from customers and neighbors. Spring is a great time to move items that are just collecting dust and make a little money while doing it.1. Signage – In big bold letters put “Yard Sale” and details can go smaller. We went to Michael’s and for less than $15 got 20 white poster boards, pink spray paint and a Magnum Sharpie pen.2. Sign Location – Don’t skimp on signs. Put them at the corner of major intersections but also don’t forget smaller neighborhood 4-way stops as drivers are much likely to look at those because they are going slower. Put up your signs the night before and take them down as soon as you close your doors. No one likes to see old yard sale signs adorning telephone poles and trees.3. Date – Don’t schedule your yard sale on a holiday weekend or during a big sporting event or local fair. If you pick one day go with Saturday, by Sunday folks think all the good stuff is gone.4. Time – Start early! 7am is a good time. If you see a bunch of signs starting at 7 then open your doors at 6:30am. You’ll be surprised at the early birds who want to get the good stuff.

5. Setup – Place as many items as you can on tables so buyers don’t have to bend down. Don’t cram a bunch of stuff on one table. Give your items space which will merchandise them better.6. Appliances – Test all appliances before setting them out and have an outlet handy so you can test for them.7. Grouping – Put similar items near each other and items for men or women in the same area. Appliances and clothes should all be sorted out.8. Pricing – By offering a spectrum of price points you’ll have something that appeals to everyone. If they are stepping into their yard they want to buy and would rather not leave empty handed. Consider offering deals if customers buy multiple items. We prefer not to put prices on items but that can discourage people from asking.9. Friends & Neighbors – If you are inclined you can ask your neighbors or friends to donate stuff to your sale and give them the money if it sells. It’s a great way to get friends to hang out all day with you and also give your yard sale a bit more variety.10. Money – Make sure you start the day with some change. A good mix of 1’s, 5’s and 10’s should do it.11. Advertise – Putting up signs is very important but don’t forget listing your sale on Craigslist and post as many products as you can. People searching items may just want to visit your yard sale because of that one hard to find item that you posted. Add photos to your listing. If you’ve got a local paper that is also a great place to post an ad.

Timothy’s background includes stints at This Old House, ELLE DECOR, Metropolitan Home and Woman’s Day. His work has been published on Wired Design, Bob Vila, DIY Network, The Family Handyman and Popular Mechanics and he has been featured on the Martha Stewart radio show and as a speaker at the ALT Design Summit, K/BIS and the National Hardware Show.